What we know as member of US army arrested for ‘allegations of espionage’

A “senior soldier” in the US Army has been arrested in the UK under “serious” allegations as part of an investigation by Counter Terror Police (CTP). FBI director Kash Patel said the arrest “involves allegations of espionage” related to Russia, which he said was “of the utmost concern” to the Unites States. The 41-year-old servicemember was arrested near Gloucester on Tuesday on suspicion of offences under the National Security Act. Details of the investigation The CTP carried out the investigation in collaboration with US authorities, the US Military and the FBI. Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, commanding general of US Army Counterintelligence Command, described the suspect as “a senior soldier, entrusted with sensitive information”. The man was arrested on suspicion of offences under Section 1 and Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023. Section 1 refers to a person obtaining or disclosing protected information, while Section 3 refers to assisting a foreign intelligence service. Officers are searching two locations in Gloucestershire as part of the ongoing investigation, the Met Police said. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans of the CTP said: “The allegations are serious and our investigation is very much ongoing.” The man remains in custody at a London police station. The investigation is being led by officers from CTP London. Police said the investigation is not linked to any other ongoing CTP investigations. ‘A sobering reminder’ Patel issued a staunch warning following the allegation of espionage, saying: “While this investigation is continuing, I want to send a clear message – this FBI has no tolerance for anyone who breaks their oath to the United States and whose actions endanger our national security and that of our partners.”He added: “This matter shows that partnerships are essential to protect our countries and I want to express my thanks to UK Counter Terrorism Policing, MI5, UK Defence Counter Intelligence, and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command for their outstanding work.” Brig. Gen. Stinchon said the allegations were “a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent”. On Monday, the US military reportedly evacuated aircraft from RAF Mildenhall following a threat from Iran. The exact nature of the threat, including whether it is an imminent risk or a more general response, is not yet known and remains under discussion among US officials. The development came weeks after the US withdrew its bombers from RAF Fairford following a suspected Iran-related terror incident near the airbase. There has been no suggestion that Tuesday’s arrest was linked to either of these bases or previous incidents. CTP’s statement in full Evans said: “This significant arrest and investigation is a result of close collaboration between UK and US authorities. “The allegations are serious and our investigation is very much ongoing. This activity demonstrates the strength of our UK and US law enforcement and national security partnerships, and I commend the work of all the teams involved. “We will work together to take robust action against those we suspect of any criminal activity that could undermine our national security.” This is a breaking news story which will be updated.